[Fwd: Hearing - Wild Animal Ordinance]

[Guest guest]

-------

Hearing - Wild Animal Ordinance

Wed, 12 May 2004 08:38:14 -0700

EricM <afa

Gary Bogue <gbogue

 

 

 

Morning, Mr. Bogue. Apologies for the short notice. I just got the

official word yesterday. If you could find space for any of my letter,

I'd be most appreciative. Edit as you see fit, of course.

x

Eric

 

 

 

Dear Gary,

 

It's time to rally your " Army of the Kind. "

 

The long-awaited hearing re the proposed ban on wild animal acts at the

Alameda County Fair is scheduled for Tuesday, May 18, 11:30 a.m., at the

Alameda County Board of Supervisors, 1221 Oak Street, 5th floor,

Oakland, CA 94612. Calls and letters from your readers in support of

this humane proposal are needed, as well as their presence at the hearing.

 

The Board's " Fair Liaison Committee " is comprised of two Supervisors,

Scott Haggerty (tel. 510/272-6691; fax 208-3910) and Keith Carson (tel.

510/272-6695; fax 271-5151). Gail Steele, President of the Board, may

be reached at tel. 510/272-6692; fax 271-5115. Rick Pickering, CEO of

the County Fair, is at tel. 925/426-7600; fax 426-7599.

 

Both animal welfare and public safety are issues of concern. In years

past, the Fair has featured elephant rides, trained tiger and bear acts,

photo ops with a baby chimpanzee, and " The World's Biggest Alligator, "

confined in a metal tank. Wild animals suffer from the constant travel,

the stress of performance-on-demand, the unnatural living conditions

and sometimes brutal training methods. When not performing, most of the

animals are kept chained or in tiny, barren cages. No one would

subject his/her companion dog or cat to such an existence. These

animals (and we) deserve better.

 

Let's urge the Board of Supervisors and the Fair Board to adopt a

permanent, written policy to end these abuses now.

 

Anyone with questions may contact me at 510/652-5603.

 

Many thanks.

 

Eric Mills, coordinator

ACTION FOR ANIMALS